ES2712678T3 - Procedure for cleaning melting furnaces for the production of glassware - Google Patents

Abstract

A procedure for cleaning bowl melting furnaces (10) for manufacturing glassware, provided with a melting chamber (11), which has a melting tank (12), to which a regeneration chamber (13) is connected. , of the type provided with at least one regenerator (15) comprising a support structure (16) for layers of refractory bricks (17), which are superimposed in a staggered configuration to determine paths for the descent of the exhaust gases in cooling (18a, 18b) arriving from said fusion chamber (11), said method consisting in sandblasting said exhaust discharge paths (18a, 18b) and providing the insertion of a pipe (22) for supply of an abrasive material through openings to access from the outside (23, 23a) to the regeneration chamber (13) and gradually inside said exhaust exhaust descent paths (18a, 18b), being carried out said sandblasting of said exhaust exhaust descent paths (18a, 18b) while operating said melting furnace (10) without interrupting or reducing the production activity of said furnace (10).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Procedure for cleaning furnace melting furnaces to manufacture glass products

[0001] The present invention relates to a process for cleaning furnace melting furnaces to manufacture glass articles.

[0002] As is known, furnace melting furnaces are used in factories for the continuous production of glass goods.

[0003] This type of furnace is constituted substantially by a melting chamber with a tub in which a mixture of glass components is melted and from which the glass flows out in a liquid state through a neck located in the lower part from the tank to reach the processing area, and by a regeneration chamber, in which the exhaust gases that originate in the molten glass tank are cooled.

[0004] These plants operate according to the regenerative thermal cycles, recovering the heat originating in the melting tank by means of regenerators, constituted by layers of stacked refractory bricks, typically made of magnesite, which are arranged inside the regeneration chamber and they are supported by a support structure.

[0005] It is preferable to use bricks having an octagonal base, arranged in a honeycomb configuration and with stepped layers, to define vertical paths in line and articulated trajectories for the exhaust gases that originate in the tank and which, when cooled, They descend towards the lower region of the regeneration chamber passing through the layers of bricks.

[0006] However, bricks of the cross-shaped type or solid bricks are also used and, in any case, they are arranged in staggered layers side by side to create trajectories of the type described.

[0007] Exhaust gases contain sulfates which, during cooling, are deposited on the walls of the bricks.

[0008] Over time, due to this deposit, said trajectories are obviously subject to clogging, which requires shutting down the oven and, therefore, interrupting the production cycle to perform cleaning operations. Document US2839286 discloses a verifier construction that facilitates said cleaning operations allowing the introduction of brushes and the like into the hollow elements of the construction without additional disassembly.

[0009] To avoid the need to resort to stopping the furnace, preference is now given to a procedure for cleaning the paths of the regenerator which provides the ignition of the methane gas burners at the base of the regenerators. The increase in temperature inside the regenerators melts the sulphates and, therefore, causes them to fall on the bottom of the regeneration chamber, which is cleaned by an operator assigned to the maintenance of the plant, who works in the lower part of the camera below the support structure for the brick layers.

[0010] This procedure is not free of drawbacks.

[0011] The most important thing is the fact that the operator must work inside the regeneration chamber, at the bottom, exposing himself to extremely high temperatures, typically between 450 and 650 ° C.

[0012] In addition, this procedure causes the wear of the lower layers of bricks (near where the burners are located), which, taken to the operating conditions that are at the limit of their thermal and mechanical resistance, break down and crush up to which cause pile collapses and failure of the surface on which they rest.

[0013] Another drawback is related to the fact that, during this rubbing process, the furnace operates under pressure conditions higher than the design operating pressure.

[0014] The objective of the present invention is to design a method for cleaning furnace melting furnaces that is capable of solving the observed disadvantages.

[0015] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to prevent the operators assigned to the maintenance of the plant from being forced to work in high temperature conditions.

[0016] Another object of the invention is to devise a cleaning procedure that is not detrimental to the structure of the regeneration chamber.

[0017] A further object of the invention is to clean the regenerator without having to modify the operating conditions of the furnace for this purpose.

[0018] This goal, as! as these and other objects that will be more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a process for cleaning the melting furnaces of tub for manufacturing glass articles as defined in the appended claims.

[0019] Additional features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred non-exclusive embodiment of the method according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of the furnace melting furnace;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of the regeneration chamber during cleaning of the regenerator from above and below;

Figure 3 is a top view of a pair of layers of superimposed bricks;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of three layers of bricks, through which the exhaust gas descending paths are created.

[0020] With reference to the figures, the method according to the invention is studied for tank melting furnaces 1o, which are provided with a melting chamber 11, equipped with a melting tank 12, to which a chamber of fire is connected. regeneration 13 by means of a bridge type connection collar 14 between them, as can be seen in figure 1.

[0021] The regeneration chamber 13 is of the type having a regenerator 15 comprising a support structure 16 for layers of refractory bricks 17, which are staggered in order to produce descending paths 18a and 18b for the exhaust gases in refrigeration that originate in the fusion chamber 11 and reach the regeneration chamber 13 passing through the connection neck 14.

[0022] The exhaust gas paths 18a and 18b are shown in Figure 4, while the bricks are often of the octagonal base type of the type shown in Figure 3, which shows how they are arranged in tiered layers 17.

[0023] In this way, they determine the trajectories of descent of the exhaust gases, which may be of the vertical line type 18a or articulated trajectories 18b, as indicated in Figure 4.

[0024] Figures 3 and 4 cited above illustrate respectively two and three layers of bricks 17; however, the regenerator 15 may comprise many more, depending on the design requirements.

[0025] The example described shows bricks having an octagonal base; however, they may be of the cross-shaped or solid type, in any case, arranged in staggered layers and side by side to create trajectories of the type described.

[0026] The cleaning method according to the invention consists of sandblasting the exhaust gas descent paths 18a and 18b using a sandblasting machine 19.

[0027] The sandblaster 19 is conveniently equipped with a tank 20, a compressed air generator 21 and a supply pipe 22 for an abrasive material. In particular, in the described method, the supply pipe 22 is supplied with compressed air with quartz powder, to clean the paths of descent of the exhaust gases 18a and 18b of the substances, such as sulfates, which are deposited in their walls

[0028] The method consists of sand blasting the exhaust gas descending paths 18a and 18b and providing the insertion of the supply pipe 22 through openings to access from the outside 23, 23a to the regeneration chamber. and gradually into the exhaust gas descending paths 18a, 18b.

[0029] The method provides cleaning starting from below the regenerator 15 or, in an equivalent manner, from above.

[0030] In the first case, sand blasting provides the insertion of the supply pipe 22, passing successively through the openings to access from outside 23 (arranged in the lower part of regeneration chamber 13) and through vertical openings 24 of support structure 16, in order to move it from the base of regenerator 15 to interior of the exhaust gas discharge paths 18a and 18b.

[0031] In the second case, the same sand blasting operation provides, in an equivalent and alternative manner, the insertion of the supply pipe 22 through openings to access from outside 23a provided near the top of the the regeneration chamber 13, to move it from the upper region of the regenerator 15 to the inside of the exhaust gas descending paths 18a, 18b.

[0032] This operation can be performed both from the top and from the bottom of the regenerator 15, according to the requirements.

[0033] In particular, as shown in Figure 2, in order to clean the brick layers 17 starting from the bottom of the regenerator 15, the operator 25 is positioned near the opening for access from outside 23, from where, upon finding the clearance below the support structure 16, it can insert the supply pipe 22 through the vertical openings 24 into the interior of the exhaust gas descending paths 18a.

[0034] Continuing with the operation, the operator 25 causes the supply pipe 22 to pass through each of the vertical openings 24, inserting it each time gradually along an exhaust descent path 18a that is vertical and in line and, at most, for a first extension of the articulated trajectories 18b.

[0035] Although the supply pipe 22 does not also follow the more complex shapes of the articulated exhaust descent trajectories 18b and can not achieve in terms of length the furthest regions to be cleaned, the use of the cleaning machine with Sandblasting 19, which in this case works by being supplied with compressed air with pressure levels of up to 10 bar, allows cleaning of spaces that are not directly in the vicinity of the nozzle of the supply pipe 22 .

[0036] As regards the cleaning of the regenerator 15 from the upper region of the brick layers 17, the operator 25, again as shown in Figure 2, inserts the supply pipe 22 through an opening to access from the outside 23a to the inside of the regeneration chamber 13, always remaining completely out of the oven, from where it can move the supply line 22, inserting it into the regenerator 15 each time from a different point of the surface and gradually to more depth along an exhaust gas path 18a. Similar to what has been described for the insertion of the supply pipe 22 from below, the use of the sandblasting cleaning machine 19 also makes it possible to clean the regions that are not directly in the vicinity of the nozzle of the tuberla

[0037] Advantageously, the supply pipe 22 can be contained in another pipe that is cooled with air or water to operate at the high temperatures of the regeneration chamber 13. Furthermore, the supply pipe 22 can be calibrated and inclined appropriately according to the requirements and can be accompanied by one or more video cameras, which are also cooled with air or water.

[0038] The video cameras are equipped with a monitor for real-time monitoring of the cleaning process and for the optional recording and capture of photographs of the work being done.

[0039] It should be noted that the proposed method allows the regenerator to be cleaned without interrupting or reducing the production activity of the furnace.

[0040] In fact, by means of the method according to the invention, during the cleaning, the melting furnace 10 can operate according to the operative parameters established by the personnel of the factory.

[0041] Furthermore, the bricks constituting the layers of the regenerator 15 are not subject to any thermal shock, which excludes the danger of breakage and crushing and, in the worst case, of collapses of the pile and the structure of the structure. 16 support on which they rest.

[0042] It should also be noted that the operator 25 assigned to the maintenance of the furnace melting furnace 10 remains outside the regeneration chamber 13, avoiding exposure to high temperatures.

[0043] In practice, it has been discovered that the invention achieves the objective and the objects envisaged, proposing a procedure for cleaning fusion furnaces, particularly regenerators of the regeneration chamber, which are capable of solving the observed disadvantages, preventing the Operators work in high temperature conditions, without causing damage to the structure and without having to interrupt or slow down the production cycle of the plant.

[0044] Another advantage arises from the fact that the sand blasting operation uses abrasive material containing components that are compatible with the molten glass; in this way, if some of them go up to the fusion chamber, they dissolve and mix with the molten glass, without causing the presence of inclusions or air bubbles in the finished product.

[0045] A further advantage resides in that the operation of sandblasting as described, by allowing the operator to clean the regenerator while working completely from the outside of the regeneration chamber, makes this work exempt from the application. of regulations related to confined spaces.

[0046] The invention conceived in this way is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0047] In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, so! as the contingent shapes and dimensions, they can be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

[0048] When the technical features mentioned in any revindication are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and, consequently, said reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by said reference signs.

Claims (5)

A method for cleaning furnace melting furnaces (10) to manufacture glass products, equipped with a melting chamber (11), which has a melting tank (12), to which a regeneration chamber is connected ( 13), of the type provided with at least one regenerator (15) comprising a support structure (16) for layers of refractory bricks (17), which are superimposed in a stepped configuration to determine trajectories for the descent of the exhaust gases in refrigeration (18a, 18b) arriving from said fusion chamber (11), said process consisting in sandblasting said exhaust gas descent paths (18a, 18b) and providing the insertion of a pipe (22) for the supply of an abrasive material through openings to access from the outside (23, 23a) to the regeneration chamber (13) and gradually into said exhaust descent trajectories (18a, 18b), leading to cleaning said with sandblasting said exhaust gas descending paths (18a, 18b) while said melting furnace (10) is operated without interrupting or reducing the production activity of said furnace (10). The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said sandblasting operation provides the insertion of said supply pipe (22) passing in succession through said openings to access from outside (23) and through openings verticals (24) of said supporting structure (16), in order to move it from the base of said regenerator (15) into said exhaust gas descending paths (18a, 18b). The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said sandblasting operation provides, in an equivalent and alternative way, the insertion of said supply pipe (22) through openings to access from the outside (23a) provided near the top of said regeneration chamber (13), in order to move it from the top of said regenerator (15) into said exhaust gas descending paths (18a, 18b). The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supply pipe (22) is supplied with compressed air with quartz powder. 5. Use of a sandblasting machine (19) in a process for cleaning furnace melting furnaces (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims.